THE TRUST:

Madhubani District, in the State of Bihar, is in remote and a backward area bordering Nepal. The District has a population of over 28 lakhs with agriculture being their main occupation. Though this area is found to be very favourable for agriculture with land being fertile, sufficient water available, the rural-based agriculturists very hard working, one could expect the area to develop into a prosperous part of Bihar. The fact is otherwise there is absolutely no industrial development, for any economic activity and employment, as a result, the area continued to be backward for a long time. The majority of the people are illiterate and therefore superstitious alongwith disease and mal-nutrition visibly everywhere. However, old Madhubani had altogether a different picture, if we look back a few decades back. The area has some well-known scholars famous for Madhubani paintings etc. developed and could compare in that respect with any other parts of the country. The independence of the country in 1947 and the subsequent period of 50 years could not develop Madhubani and for that matter Bihar State as a whole to a reasonable level.

It is in this background, the birth of S.K. Chaudhary Educational Trust with few eminent social workers, administrators and other political leaders emerged as a catalytic agent in the subsequent matters.

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION:

S.K. Chaudhary Educational Trust, a Charitable Trust, as a matter of priority and primary effort decided to enter into the area to assist the poor people with a systematic and time-bound programme. The first and foremost step, the Trust took in this direction was to propagate Literacy Campaign among the poor people of the area. Keeping in view, the Trust established few Educational Institutions from primary level to Secondary Education Level schools then intermediary level and finally Degree Level Colleges. The Trust took the bold decision that the Literacy Programme should be made available 100% free of cost to the people who are lowest strata of the society so that it will be made a successful venture. Initially the persuation accompanied by monetary support alone will make this noble effort meaningful. Today these schools and colleges have come to stay as the grass-roots level Educational Institutions serving one of the noblest causes and social life of the area. In this effort the Trust has made special interest to see that the girl students are brought out and educated in these institutions. In its limited resources and goal the S.K. Chaudhary Educational Trust has found success in this matter.

KRISHI VIGYAN KENDRA:

As mentioned in the beginning the rural farmers of the area have been found suffering from various diseases mainly due to mal-nutrition. In spite of favourable natural resources and hard working people, the gain from agricultural efforts were not at all up to the mark mainly due to lack of knowledge of modern method of cultivation as well as inferior quality of inputs used in the agricultural production.

S.K. Chaudhary Educational Trust has taken a bold step to obviate this problem that in the absence of industrial development and investments the only alternative way was to assist the farmers to increase their outputs in various cash crops. The President of the Trust, Shri Sant Kumar Chaudhary, as a local resident was quite aware of this and took the opportunity of approaching the political leadership at that time prevailing in New Delhi. A Krishi Vigyan Kendra was decided to be set up at Madhubani as a solution to the main problems of tackling lower production in agriculture.

With the active participation and financial assistance from ICAR and Central Government the KVK at Madhubani is a running success story in the efforts of S.K. Chaudhary Educational Trust mainly in the transfer of technology from lab to land in a convincing way to the illiterate farmers. The KVK could develop training courses to the young farmers including the females. The training courses for different groups of farmers for longer and shorter duration of crops, development of skills, attitude and knowledge to the farmers etc. was found to be very productive for self-employment and further training purpose of the emerging farming generation. During the last few years of its existence the KVK has become the Central point of activities. It has organised many Kisan Melas and exhibitions, Kishan Gosthi, farmers/scientists interface and problem solving national Programme, through regular visuals of scientists of national and international status conducting different workshops and training programmes. In this regard, the self-employment programme of rural youth by conducting long duration of training programme on veterinary, first aid, diary management, fishery and animal husbandry are worth mentioning. In this regard, soil testing is one of the essential efforts found in the programme of assistance to farmers. Today the Mobile soil testing of KVK at Madhubani reach to the doors of farmers and the finding of various soil testing handed over to the farmers then and there. Making availability of improved variety of seeds by seed multiplication as well as making available of fertilisers at reasonable rates are other efforts found to be fruitful. During the last few years the KVK has been visited by many important scientists of national and international levels, social and political leaders. This KVK has been chosen for in the National Science Congress of ICAR representing the total KVK's of the country.

HEALTH CARE:

Though medical colleges and hospitals are few provided in the State of Bihar, the facilities available were not reaching to the poor farmers into the section of the people who are traditionally backward and poor. The third most important efforts made by S.K. Chaudhary Educational Trust is making available free medical aid to the poor people of the area without any differentiation in caste, creed, religion or language. In this direction, it is to be mentioned here that this noble cause could be done in Madhubani with a very important factor as follows: -

Jagat Guru Sankaracharaji of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam Seva Trust blessed the people of Madhubani by agreeing to establish a Hospital in order to render free medical aid to the poor people. Just 5 years back another trust were formed in the name of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam Seva Trust of which His Holiness Jagat Guru Sankaracharyaji himself agreed to become Chief Patron. Sankara Eye Hospital was established at Madhubani, the Hospital is located in a rented premises under the care of three permanent doctors along with other supporting para-medical staff. On an average 150-200 patients avail free OPD medical services from this Hospital. However, the most important contributions towards this noble cause is the annual eye camps being conducted every year. On an average 5000 patients approached the eye camp. The patients were subjected to diagnosis, first class treatment and wherever found necessary surgical operations were performed. For this purpose, eminent doctors, nurses and para-medical staff have been specifically sponsored from the hospitals down south in Coimbatore, Chennai, Hyderabad for the establishments of the Kanchi Sankara Society. On an average 200-300 operations were performed in there eye camps out of which almost 50% were given I.O.L. implantations which are made available free of cost. The entire eye camp in each year few lakhs and the entire medical assistance including boarding and lodging during the treatment are made available free of cost to the poor people of the area.

PUBLICATIONS:

The S.K. Chaudhary Educational Trust has been bringing out a quarterly Hindi Magazine on agricultural and the allied subjects "THE KISAN INTERNATIONAL" in which Agricultural Scientists from various research institutions situated in various states and national level Research Institute publish their original articles based on research work conducted by them. This magazine has been well received by not only the agricultural scientists and institutions, various laboratory but also by prominent agriculturists including ordinary farmers.

HIGHER TECHNICAL EDUCATION:

The latest addition to the activities of the S.K. Chaudhary Educational Trust is establishment of a full-fledged four year degree course in various engineering courses (Sankara Institute of Technology at SP-44 Kukas, Jaipur). The first year session of the college has started from 2001-2002. The College and the other buildings and infrastructure are situated in an area of 10 acres in the district of Jaipur behind the Aravalli Hills.

The President of the Trust Shri Sant Kumar Chaudhary is actively associated with many other Sister Organisations in Rajasthan, Delhi, Maharashtra and Chennai. He has gained therefore valuable experience and very highly qualified educationists, administrators and other senior leaders are available for various consultations. Shri Sant Kumar Chaudhary, President has been representing the S.K. Chaudhary Educational Trust in many important managerial and important Committees of Government and other institutions during last few years. Some of these Committees are of national importance.

Another Sister Organisation "Heartland Institute of Technology" is in the process of establishing an Educational Complex at Delhi, which will include an Engineering College, a College of library science, a College of nursing and a college for distant education.